Pieris brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758) Species
Last modified: Nov. 8, 2023, 3:56 p.m.
A common species throughout Belgium.
Details
- Classification
- Family: Pieridae > Subfamily: Pierinae > Tribus: Pierini > Genus: Pieris > Species: Pieris brassicae
- Vernacular names
- Groot koolwitje (NL), Large White (EN), Piéride du chou (FR), Großer Kohlweißling (DE)
- First mention in Belgium
- De Sélys-Longchamps E. 1837. Catalogue des Lépidoptères ou Papillons de la Belgique, précédé du tableau des Libellulines de ce pays. — — : 1–29. On page 15 (as Pieris brassicae). view page
- Status
-
Native
Distribution
Imago
Imagos resemble other Pieris species but have the apical black spot larger, extending in a pointed way along the costal margin as well as down the outer margin. Males lack the discal spot. The black on the upperside is greyer in the spring brood.
Museum specimens
Specimens in nature
Egg
Eggs are laid in batches, often around 40 but sometimes up to 100 per batch. One female can lay several hundreds of eggs, in some cases females laying more than 1400 eggs have been observed. The eggs are bright yellow, elliptical and have 17 to 19 longitudinal keels.
Cocoon/pupa
Bionomics
An overview of the bionomics of this species can be found on the Butterflies in the Benelux website.
Flight periods
The adults fly in up to three generations a year, overlapping from April till October.
Observed on
- Host plant (species):
- Tropaeolum majus and Reseda lutea
- Host plant (genera):
- Brassica
The larva lives on several species of Brassicaceae. In spring generation often several kinds of herbs like garlic mustard while in summer generations it often uses cultivated cabbage varieties. Therefore this species is well known and studied as an agricultural pest.
Habitat
Large whites can be found in all kind of habitats, it is also a well known migrant and in some years the numbers can be very high.
